Summer is here and the backyard will become a haven for activities and games for children. And as the summer moves along the children may tire of their toys or need a break from their routine.
photo credit: Seattle Municipal Archives

You can easily construct a backyard play  gym that will add different activity to their schedule.

Ideas for a Backyard Play Gym

You could place plastic tubes around the backyard for children to climb through. Add interest to playing in the tubes by having some open with light showing thought and other dark, which would resemble a cave or other mysterious places.

Fabric tubes are another option for your backyard gym. These should be placed on grass or sand so children won’t hurt their knees when crawling through them.  By changing there location and placing some together and others apart you can create new adventures and games for the children to play.

Include a small climbing structure. I have used wooden crates stacked on each other or placed on their sides. Make sure this structure is not very high and is secure and will not move or tip over. It’s also best to locate this structure on wood chips, mats or a soft grassy area.

You may find if you use a larger create that the children turn it into a mini cabin or fort area.  Supply cloth or an old blanket that they can use to create an awning or canopy from the crate to a tree or another crate.

Blankets and clothesline can also be used for a makeshift tent or fort. Children have a wonderful imagination so expect to see quite a creation.

Find mats for outdoor playing. Children will be able to tumble and roll without getting hurt with the additional safety and padding of a mat. If your children are tumbling make sure the mats are in an open area away from trees, walls, stairs or buildings.

Swings can easily be added to a backyard. You can buy swings or a swing set or use an old inner tube or tire and hang from a secure rope from a tree branch. We always had a tire swing over by our picnic area. Place wood chips under the swing for a cushion if the child falls.
photo credit: rachie lea

If you have young children you may want to add a baby swing with safety bars and a harness.

A small kiddie pool or water sprinkler can add water games that will be appreciated on a hot day.

And for a rest area or lunch after playing and running for few hours you may want to add a mini hammock, picnic table or table and chairs. If you place a waterproof box with hinges you can add a packet of paper, markers, coloring books and pencils for quiet relaxing activities.

The backyard should be a relaxing fun place for children to play and have fond memories of friends and family. With the addition of a backyard play gym you can add change and new games to the children’s play area.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard oasis, backyard play gym, childrens play area

A backyard play area is an important part of your backyard, particularly in the summer months. There are several elements to take into consideration when planning a play area.
photo credit: √oхέƒx™

Age is a big part of your play area design. Are your children close in age in interests or is there an age difference that will influence the play toys and equipment you add to the backyard?

Ask your children what interests them and ask for ideas. You may find that a fort or tree house fits most of their ideas. Or they may want a camping area and tent.

If the children are small a mini pool and sandbox may be a perfect idea. Just make sure to locate it close to the house and within eyesight.

Include elements and design that children can change and use for multi purposes. Old boards can be built into a temporary fort. Blankets can be made into a house with clothesline and clothespins. An old table can be used for painting, crafting ideas and for working on toy models. And a pile of sand or dirt has many purposes to a child.
photo credit: Travis Hornung

Plan for rainy days. A play area on the porch or patio may be a perfect solution. When I was growing up we had a rainy day box filled with paint, paper, books  and toys we rarely played with.

Swings,  play equipment and mini pools or a water hose will also add to the backyard play area. Yard games such as ring toss or horse shoes will also add a change to backyard activities.

Create a place for your children to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Their own table and chairs or a hammock in the shade may encourage them to read a book or watch clouds or the stars at night.

You could also create a small garden area for your children. Let them choose a few flowers or vegetables. If they are grown in containers close to the house the children will be able to watch them grow and keep them watered easily.

Above all else, make sure your backyard children’s play area is safe. Check any play equipment for rough or sharp edges. Also check for sharp rocks or broken glass.

And if there is a pool take extra precautions to keep your children are supervised and safe.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard oasis, backyard play area, childrens fort, create a childrens play area

As the weather is improving and children will soon be on school vacation this is the time to be planning new backyard activities to keep you children happy and busy. Here is an easy to make backyard summer activity game that is perfect for those days when children are restless or for parties and family reunions. You can also involve your child in creative project.
photo credit: Conor Keller

Drop-Cloth Tic-Tac-Toe Board Game

Supplies:
5-foot by 8-foot canvas drop cloth
1-inch painter’s tape (painters tape is better but masking tape will work)
paintbrush
cardboard or vinyl pieces
1 pint semi-gloss paint

First measure and mark a 33 inch square in the center of the drop cloth to create the border of your backyard tic-tac-toe board. A yardstick and pencil will be needed for this step. Draw lines inside the larger square to create nine equal 11-inch squares.

Next place the one-inch tape along the outside edges of the large square, and center along the interior square lines making the game grid. Measure 1 inch from the tape along the outer edge of the large square and apply another border of tape.

Using semi-gloss paint, paint the nine inner squares and the border of the large square between the painter’s tape. Allow the paint to dry and apply additional coats as needed. Once the paint is dry, remove the tape.

Now it’s time to make the make the game pieces. Trace around a smaller six-inch paper plate on heavy cardboard or pieces of vinyl. Make 12 round pieces and place a painted X on 6 pieces and a painted O on the other six pieces. You may want to paint the X’s and O’s different colors and you may want to paint the background of the round circles a different color for each X or O too. Seal the pieces with clear varnish to protect the paint. You will not need these many pieces for each time the game is played, a few are extra pieces.

Tips

• Using thick cardboard or vinyl game pieces create game pieces that should not hurt children. Vinyl pieces can be picked up at most hardware stores or interior design stores.
• Select paint and varnish with no lead
• You may find it helpful to use tent stakes or long nails in the corners of the drop cloth. This will hold your backyard tic-tac-toe board in place if it’s windy.

Your children will enjoy helping create and paint this backyard game. Let them choose their favorite colors for painting the game pieces and game board. This game can also be used on patios and indoors.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard play area, childrens backyard projects

Setting up a children’s play area in your backyard oasis will give your children a place to call their own and will provide them with hours of entertainment and activity. Swing sets, sandboxes, playhouses and forts are only a few ideas. One other idea for your backyard play area is learning about nature. By setting up a birdbath your child can watch birds and learn to identify them. Below is a birdbath project your child can make. They will take pride in the project they created for their Backyard play area
photo credit: Valerie Everett

Children’s Birdbath project

Select a place in the backyard childrens play area that has a mix of sun and shade and preferably a small tree or bush for the birds to have shelter and protection. This will help you to determine the size of the pot you will purchase and any other ideas for your birdbath project.

Next purchase a large terra-cotta plant pot. Make sure it has a saucer and that the saucer is glazed on the inside. The saucer needs to be at least eight inches across and you may decide to select a larger size.

Turn the plant pot upside-down and allow the child to paint designs on the pot. Acrylic paints will work the best for this project. After the pot has dried thoroughly, coat with a clear waterproof sealant to protect the design from the weather.

You may want to suggest designs for the birdbath creation or just let the child create a design on his own. If you have more than one child you can have them decorate parts of the birdbath or have rocks or a bird feeder that also need painted.

The last step is to place the glazed saucer on top of the upside-down plant pot. Check the position then glue in place with Liquid Nails or another construction adhesive. Allow the birdbath to dry completely.

Your final selection for the bird bath will be determined my how the pot looks in its new area, location of bushes and trees and any other projects that were made for the area at the same time. 

When you have selected the final position, make sure the birdbath is sitting evenly on the ground. You may need to add or remove soil to level the birdbath. For the final step layer small pebbles on the bottom of the saucer, then add two inches of fresh water.

Your children will want to check the water daily and the birdbath will need to be cleaned occasionally. You may even want to add a few new flowers that attract birds and a birdhouse to your bird santuary.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard play area

Every backyard needs a playhouse or fort if you have younger children.  Add either  to a backyard childrens  area and your children will play for hours and having lasting memories of a wonderful backyard oasis.
photo credit: Fantt

This link, Playhouse, will take you to the complete plans but I have also included the written text below just in case you have problems getting to the site. But the images and diagrams help and are located at the site.

Playhouse

This design and detail is given for a playhouse to be erected on a flat level site. For sloping sites, modify the detail by embedding some of the posts deeper, or using posts of different lengths. However, remember that a playhouse which is close to ground is a safer playhouse.

TIMBER which is to be embedded in the ground should be of very durable quality. All other timber in the playhouse which is not in ground contact should be of durable quality but staining or painting is still recommended.

Consult your timber stockist on what timbers are available and suitable for this exterior exposed location. Construction should be as sketched in the exploded diagram. All fasteners should be galvanised (nuts, bolts, nails).

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TOOLS YOU WILL NEED
Saw 100 x 38mm,
Carpenter’s mitre square
2 pieces 2.4m DAR (joists)
Measuring
tape/rule and pencil
Hammer and nail punch
Electric drill and bits
String line and level
Spirit level
Chisel
Materials you will need
Timber (N.B. All durable timber*)
75 x 75mm, 2 pieces 2.7m DAR (posts)
100 x 38mm, 2 pieces 2.4m DAR (joists)
75 x 25mm, T&G Flooring 34.8 lineal metres (or equivalent in 1.2m lengths)
100 x 25mm, 6 pieces 1.2m DAR (side rails)
100 x 38mm, 2 pieces 2.4m DAR (rafters)
50 x 38mm, 2 pieces 3.9m sawn (battens)
100 x 25mm, 39 pieces 1.2m sawn (roofing and gable)
Hardware
12/125 x 9mm galvanised cuphead nuts and washers
200/50 x 2.8mm galvanised flathead nails (roof, gables)
100/50 x 2.8mm galvanised bullet head nails (flooring nails)
20/65 x 3.15mm galvanised bullet head nails (floor, joists)
Note: Flooring and roof and gable timber – your timber stockist will supply long lengths of timber sufficient to cut these pieces. When ordering advise with order that your need is for lengths from which 1.2m pieces can be cut.

Alternative roof coverings:
2 sheets 1800 x 1200 x 6mm exterior grade plywood OR
1 sheet 3660 x 1220 x 9.5mm exterior grade hardboard
*Durable timber includes most native hardwoods, cypress pine, western red cedar, redwood, CCA treated hoop, slash or radiata pine. Consult timber stockist on suitability and availability.

MARK OUT  position of posts on site using conventional string line and level method. Check that diagonals of the layout are equal – hence the 1200 x 1200mm area is square.

LINE LEVEL – Small tube level hangs from string line to determine level point at each corner and post.

DIG HOLES  for posts about 300 x 300mm in free draining soils. In clayey soils you may need to excavate deeper and infill with porous gravel or ashes or similar. Ram-pack base of hole.

CUT FOUR  posts ‘A’ from the timber pieces 75 x 75 x 2.7m DAR and treat bottom 300mm with creosote or similar water repellent fungicidal material.

INSTALL POSTS  in hole, keeping them vertical and in position with temporary braces. Note that tops of posts should be level. Ram-pack infill soil around post to about 150mm from ground line. Fill holes with concrete (as post collar) and allow two days to set before proceeding. (Note that the outside faces of the posts lie on a 1200 x 1200mm square). If possible retain bracing in position when proceeding with next step. 

CUT FOUR  floor joists ‘B’ 1200mm long from the timber pieces 100 x 38mm x 2.4m DAR. 

FIX FLOOR SUPPORT JOISTS: Nail these temporarily in position approx. 450mm above ground while levelness and squareness are checked – then drill bolt holes and fasten side floor joists permanently with bolts, nuts and washers. Permanently nail on front and back floor supports (refer to diagram) using 65mm nails.

FIX FLOOR SUPPORT JOISTS: Cut floor boards ‘C’ to length (1200mm) and fix to floor joists using two 50mm bullet head nails at each side joist and nails at 300mm centres across front and back floor rails. (Note: Loosely fit flooring before nailing and space out to allow for drainage through floor). Cut front and rear boards to fit around posts.

PREPARE ROOF RAFTERS ‘D’ as shown. First cut four rafters each 1200mm long from the two pieces 100 x 38mm x 2.4m. Then measure, mark, cut as shown below. Saw cut and chisel notches to fit battens tightly and flush with top edge of gable.

ASSEMBLE TWO gables/rafters on flat surface. Nail at peaks to hold while fixing gable ends, or temporarily brace using scrap timber between bottom of rafters.

CUT AND FIX GABLE ENDS: Cut the 100 x 25mm x 1.2m sawn boards (as below) to size and fix gable end boards to rafter using two flat head nails at each side. Fit five board widths per gable end (N.B. See alternative roofing system). Cut the gable end boards from the 1.2m lengths of 100 x 25mm sawn timber or equivalent. Diagram shows how all pieces for both gables are cut from five pieces 1.2m long.

INSTALL GABLES using temporary nails before drilling and bolting in position. Tops of posts should be level and in line for accurate assembly to the line marked on the gable end.

CUT AND FIX BATTENS: Cut six battens 50 x 38 x 1275mm approx. To fit in rafter notches and nail in place using two nails at each rafter.

CUT AND FIX ROOFING BOARDS: Cut roof planks to 1200mm length and install the board roofing as shown in diagram over-lapping at apex as drawn. Observe gaps left between boards. Use nine planks or boards for the first layer. Fix front and rear boards first, using two flat head nails at each batten, allowing say 10mm projection or overhang of front and rear board out over front of gables. Then space remaining seven boards along roof. Repeat sequence on final layer using eight boards to cover the gaps left in the first layer (N.B. See alternative roofing system).

FIT SIDE/END RAILS; Cut six side and end rails ‘E’ each 1200mm long from the two 100 x 25mm x 3.6m DAR pieces. Nail side an back rails to posts as shown using 50 x 2.8mm nails.

Smooth down all rough surfaces with sanding disc on electric drill then stain, paint etc., with exterior quality finishes as described.

Alternative Roofing and Gable Ends
Instead of the 150 x 25 mm boards used as roofing which provide excellent insulation in roof against hot sun, exterior grade sheet material such as exterior grade 6mm thick plywood or exterior grade 9.5.mm hardboard can be used. Sheet sizes available are shown in the materials list and these can be cut as these diagrams show. Fix all sheet materials used flat head nails.

Cutting Diagram for sheet roofing material: pattern on original copy : playhouse

Using these materials you will need to cut the gable ends first from the small pieces 500 mm wide.

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The larger 1300 mm long pieces would be fixed as shown here. Allow some small overhand at front and rear. If desired the lower gutter end of the sheet can be trimmed back to 50 mm from gable end. Using sheet material, a ridge capping of 200mm wide aluminium sheet or similar can be fitted.

Tips Index
Timber Talk with Harry & Sal

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Disclaimer: While the Timber and Building Materials Association (NSW) Limited (TABMA) and its members believe this publication is an invaluable guide to this project, the Association cannot guarantee that every statement is without flaw. Therefore, the Association and its members hereby disclaim all liability for error or omissions of any kind, whether they be negligent of otherwise, or for any loss, damage or other consequence which may arise from any person relying on information stated in this publication.
This document was prepared with the assistance and co-operation of the Timber Development Association NSW Ltd.

For further advice telephone the TDA Timber Industry Advisory Service on (02) 360 3088.

Copyright Owner: Timber and Building Materials Association (NSW) Limited. 

I hope this playhouse plan will be of benefit to you. There are many other wonderful backyard play ideas on the site too. The addition of a playhouse or fort will make the chidrens play area unique. And with proper planning these building could be used later for other purposes.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard projects